Technological innovation
The Challenger expedition used simple but robust methods to collect observations and samples: geological dredges and biological nets, water sampling bottles and mercury in glass thermometers for the chemistry and physics of seawater. Navigation was by star sights and the depth measured by sounding lead line. Apart from improvements in depth measurement and navigation, methods used by marine scientists barely changed until the late 1960s. Since then the progress has been dramatic.Many technology developments for oceanography in the UK from the 1960s to the late 1980s came from the National Institute of Oceanography at Wormley (later the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences), examples of which can be found via the following links
Acoustic releases
Autosub
Current meter moorings
Data Buoy (DB1)Double Barrelled Capstan/Winch
Geological Long-Range Inclined ASDIC (GLORIA)
Meteorological measuring and recording (Multimet)
Neutrally buoyant floats
Ocean bottom Seismographs
Open Ocean Tide Gauges
Ship-borne Wave Recorder (SBWR)
Towed Ocean Bottom Instrument (TOBI)
The stories of other notable technology developments can be found at
Continuous plankton recorder
Marine seismics at University of Cambridge
Tide Prediction Machines
Sediment corers
Analytical chemistry methods
Latest News
Heat and carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean: the state of the art and future priorities
The following Royal Society Philosophical Trans A issue has been highly cited and downloaded - Heat and carbon uptake in the Southern Ocean: the state of the art and future priorities organised and edited by Andrew J S Meijers, Corinne Le Quéré CBE FRS, Pedro M S Monteiro, Jean-Baptiste Sallée and the articles can be accessed directly at www.bit.ly/TransA2249
Purchase the print issue at the reduced price of £40 by contacting sales@royalsociety.org
New Chief Executive at the National Oceanography Centre
Dr John Siddorn will officially start the role of CEO of the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) on 4 April 2024, bringing with him extensive experience in leadership in science, technology, and innovation. Dr Siddorn will be replacing Professor Ed Hill CBE, who announced his retirement from NOC in November 2023 after nineteen years of distinguished service leading the organisation. Full news story.
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) Open Meeting
The Marine Environmental Data and Information Network (MEDIN) invites the marine community, particularly those from a policy, commercial, academic and conservation background, to an open meeting to introduce the new MEDIN Business Plan 2024-2029 and to discuss how the wider community can contribute to the future developments in UK marine data management.
Wednesday 24th April 2024 – HYBRID (The Crown Estate, 1 St James's Market, St. James's, London SW1Y 4AH and online using Microsoft Teams)